Report ACH21-024

The Committee considered a report outlining a proposed contract extension variation for dementia respite at home services.

Following the presentation of an Award Report at the Care Services Policy and Scrutiny Sub-Committee (10^th January 2017), Bromley, Lewisham and Greenwich (BLG) Mind were granted a contract to provide a respite service for carers of older people with dementia to help them maintain their caring roles. The contract commenced on 1^st April 2017 for a period of 3 years and was due to expire on 31^st March 2020. However, there was an option to extend the contract for up to a further two years on a 1+1 basis. Following the Adult Care and Health PDS Committee meeting on 17^th November 2019, the Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health approved the extension of the contract for a period of 1 year from 1^st April 2020 until 31^st March 2021 and a variation to the hourly rates (Report ACH19-018). A further one-year extension option remained.

There had been an additional contract extension, from 31^st March 2021 to September 2021 in accordance with Executive approval to delegate contract extensions approval to the Chief Officer, with the agreement of the Portfolio Holder, where commissioning had been impacted by the pandemic (Report CSD20062 - Covid-19 Procurement Implications). The contract was awarded as detailed, and consequently there was a further (final) option to extend the contract up to 31^st March 2022. However, the recommendation was that this service was extended up to 30^th September 2022 and therefore the activation of the existing extension clause alongside a 6-month extension beyond the original term was requested. The extension would commence from 1^st October 2021 until 30^th September 2022 and would have an estimated value of £194k, whilst the budget would be £173k and the deficit funded from the social care budget.

The Head of Community Commissioning advised that an options appraisal had been undertaken. The preferred option (Option 3) was to extend the contract up until 30^th September 2022 and recommission the service, incorporating the current specification into the tender for Bromley Well or new arrangements for day opportunities (coproduced and design led by the voluntary sector). In response to a question from the Chairman, the Head of Community Commissioning said that as part of the Bromley Well tender they would be looking at whether the new arrangements could incorporate this service. The existing Bromley Well model already had a carers pathway and it was considered that this could be a “good fit” for the respite at home service. Alternatively, respite at home support could be included in the extended vision of day opportunities which was currently being scoped with the voluntary sector.

A Member emphasised that the service was extremely important and noted that without it being in place costs to the Council could considerably increase. At previous Committee meetings Members had stated their support for this service and it was firmly believed that it must remain free. This was echoed by several other Members who highlighted that it had been a particularly important service over last year and would continue to be so going forward. Carers had worked incredibly hard and had clearly been impact by the pandemic.

A Member noted the £15k underspend referenced in the reports and asked if this could be carried forward into the following year to reduce the projected overspend. The Head of Community Commissioning advised that the underspend would be included in social care deficit and used to “bridge the gap”. The Member further noted the statements made in the report regarding direct payments and asked for assurances that safeguards were in place to enable carers to procure respite care services. The Head of Community Commissioning said that the flexible use of direct payments did not take away the respite at home provided and was in addition. Service users or carers had the choice to be provided choice to receive respite at home or utilise a direct payment and this flexibility still remained. It was noted that the contract extension would retain what was currently being provided for a further period.

A Member noted the large underspend for CCG support for social care, that was referenced in the Budget Monitoring 2020/21 report, and enquired if it could be used within this service. The Director of Adult Social Care advised that this money was specifically provided to offset the pressures of COVID-19 which was why the department was now in a more favourable financial position than had been expected. In response to a question from the Chairman, the Director of Adult Social Care confirmed that this was a “one-off” payment received from the CCG.

The Chairman asked that the Director of Adult Social Care and Portfolio Holder for Adult Care and Health give due consideration to the strong views expressed by the Committee.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder for Adult Social Care approve the extension of the contract, activating the existing extension clause, alongside a further 6-month extension via the Contract Variation process (Regulation 72 of the Public Contract Regulations) beyond the predefined contract duration. The extension would commence from 1^st October 2021 until 30^th September 2022 and would have an estimated value of £194k, whilst the budget would be £173k.